The Bahraini government has announced the timetable for the implementation of the recently passed Telecommunications Law no. 48 of 2002. The liberalization of the sector will commence with the establishment of a Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) to oversee the industry’s transformation from a monopolized to an open market.

The nation’s Telecommunications Committee has also revealed that a second mobile license is scheduled for 2003 in addition to multiple licenses for internet service provisions. Multiple voice and data licenses along with multiple licenses in the radio-based areas of VSAT, paging, PMR and multiple international service and international facilities licenses are scheduled for implementation in 2004.

The nation’s telecommunications sector is currently under the monopoly of the Bahrain Telecommunications Company (Batelco). Owned 40 percent by the Bahraini government, 20 percent by Cable & Wireless and 40 percent by private investors, Batelco is responsible for the provision of all telecommunications and information services in the state. — (menareport.com)